30/30, #27: the Prado

No history behind this one that I know of, other than that it appears in Jones’ Complete Bar Guide by Stan Jones — go ahead, check out the link — from 1977, and that it’s been in regular circulation at Zig Zag for god knows how long (and that Anita clued in to the wonders of this drink way back in ought-seven). What I do know is:

It’s a really novel twist on the old tequila – lime juice combo;

maraschino and tequila interact in a really deep and almost viscerally appealing way in the glass;

it’s ripe for further exploration.

I only get the hankering for these once in a great while, but every time I mix one, I wonder why I don’t do so more often. I usually use a reposado in these, though a blanco is good when you’re looking for a bit more spark. I can also imagine doing something jazzy with this drink along the lines of a bitters splash atop the egg white foam, or maybe a mescal rinse — not that it needs it, though I doubt it would be offended by an accessory or two.

Prado

1 1/2 ounces tequila (blanco or reposado – your call)

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur

1/2 egg white (or toss the whole one in and mix two drinks)

Shake like hell without ice — maybe with a strainer coil in the shaker to help mix things up — then fill with ice and go at it again for 10 seconds or so. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

This drink is part of 30/30, a series of 30 drinks in 30 days — or as much as I can keep up before collapsing in a weary, booze-addled heap.

I was intrigued by this drink and tried a few variants to present as a Cinco de Mayo tipple at an upcoming party. I wasn’t a big fan of the Bol’s Maraschino I had on the back bar so I substituted Cherry Heering as follows.

I’m not patient enough for a dry shake so I just add my egg white on to 2 or 3 ice cubes and shake the snot out of that till it turns to a nice foam. Add the other ingredients with a good scoop of ice cubes into your shaker and go at it again. Strain into your chilled cocktail glass and voila! I garnished mine with a thin cut wheel from a small lime floating in the “meringue” but I love the idea of a little bitters floating on top.